A wedding where the groom comes to pick you up on a tractor

It's been several years since I started living in Vietnam. When I count them up, I've already attended over twenty weddings. Enormous reception venues, toasts repeated again and again, karaoke at full volume. I thought I had become completely used to grand Vietnamese-style weddings. And yet this time, I encountered a sight I was seeing for the first time all over again. It was at the wedding of a staff member who has worked long at my husband's company. It's like a relationship that spans the whole family, and it was truly a joyful day for us as well. On this occasion, my husband and I had our long-desired áo dài specially tailored. The ceremony was held near Dalat. The evening before, we traveled by sleeper bus for about six hours. We made our way while lying down on a compact flat seat separated by curtains.

When we arrived, the eve celebration had already begun. Relatives and friends gathered, toasting again and again—cheers, cheers, and more cheers. And then came the karaoke competition. "The wedding gets exciting from the day before!" Experiencing the Vietnamese customs, we welcomed the main event the next day. The following morning, the groom appeared dressed in a finely tailored suit. And in his hands, he held the items to greet the bride.

Red umbrellas and bouquets, and nón lá (hats) adorned with scattered flowers. In this season, when it's hot and you need protection from UV rays, the nón lá is the best choice. They were decorated so beautifully, just like a bride's.

And now, we're heading off to pick up the bride... When I saw the vehicle for it, I couldn't help but be surprised! It was, of all things, a tractor.

Company staff and friends climb into the truck bed, and off they go. They've even loaded up speakers, and the music blares at full volume. It's about a 20-minute journey to the bride's house.

Taking videos and photos of each other, singing, laughing, swaying along, we all support one another so no one falls as we move forward. Even people on the roadside wave and smile back at us. Right now, only happy moments flow here. Zero negativity! When we arrive at the bride's house, her family comes out to greet us, and the bride appears.

Wrapped in a bright red áo dài, with a slightly bashful smile. She looks absolutely beautiful, and the nón lá suits her perfectly.

As the bride sets off on the tractor, the bus carrying her relatives follows right behind. Forming a small procession, they drive through the town toward the wedding venue. It felt as though they were letting the whole town know, "Today is a joyous day!

Watching that scene, it suddenly reminded me that perhaps old Japan once had a landscape just like this. The day a bride leaves her family home. Neighbors gather to celebrate, relatives see her off, and the whole community celebrates this new beginning together. Marriage wasn't just something for the family — it was a celebration for the entire community. Nowadays, that kind of scene has almost disappeared. Of course, Japanese weddings today have their own distinctly Japanese beauty. It's refined, courteous, and full of thoughtful care. But in the countryside of Vietnam, a little more warmth still remains — the kind you'd find at a village festival. People who rejoice in one person's happiness as if it were their own. Those smiles were truly dazzling. Feeling the wind on the back of a tractor, everyone was laughing, celebrating, right in the middle of peace. Adults singing with all their heart, laughing with all their heart, celebrating someone's happiness with everything they have. Congratulations, H and T! I've attended many weddings in Vietnam, but none has stayed with my heart quite like this one. In a small countryside town in Vietnam, I felt like I had found the original landscape of Japanese weddings that is now fading away. Overseas Living Ranking